Important Dates
February 23 DMS turns 10 years old!!! (celebrate with a “Spirit Day”- wear red & blue)
March 21 6th Grade Science Fair (check this out to prep for next year!)
March 22 Reading Games competition
March 29 Old Creamery Theatre
April 7 NICC STEM Fest
Middle School Parents Still Make a Difference
The Parent Institute (Education’s #1 Source for Parent Involvement Information) provides a free resource for parents of middle school aged students. The monthly publication provides articles relevant to issues middle schoolers (and their parents) face. Check it out out here.
Safe School Reporting Form
Just a reminder- you can find a confidential online form to report bullying on the Decorah Middle School web site! Locate it here.
Winter Wear
As it gets warmer, students are tempted to not wear coats- remember- we do go outside for recess- please encourage your child to watch the weather forecast and to dress for the weather.
CODING CONTEST (through NASA)
“Imagine Cup Earth” is open to ages 6-18 with two categories. There are two dates available to enter: March 31 and June 15. Tutorials and information are included when you visit the web site for more information and to register. https://www.imaginecup.com/earth?__af3b91cc=_af3b91cc Cash prizes are available. For more information contact Kathy Hay at [email protected].
Solving the Discipline Puzzle- Steps for Growing Respectful and Responsible Kids
A FREE workshop provided by Keystone AEA and the Parent & Educator Connection: the workshop will help parents find simple methods that help their kids be respectful and responsible while ensuring strong positive relationships with them and keep peace at home.
Join us to learn how to:
- View discipline problems as a chance to help your child learn new, socially appropriate ways to behave.
- Use common socials skills for children and youth to guide your discipline efforts.
- Clarify your personal expectations for your child/youth at home, creating more peaceful routines.
- Strengthen your child/youth and increase desired behaviors through the use of effective praise.
- Look at misbehavior as a teaching opportunity and to peacefully correct your child/youth.
Parents are encouraged to attend the workshop in person. However, teleconference participation will be available using Zoom (telephone or computer). A teleconference site will also be available at the Keystone AEA's Dubuque Office. Parents who select participation by Zoom via computer or telephone will receive further details through email.
Please go to http://tinyurl.com/pecpw16 by February 26th to register for the workshop. Further information is available on the Keystone AEA website under the Parent & Educator Connection tab.
NEWS FLASH!!
From Mr. Peterson: In science, we are entering the final stage of our engineering project. The children will be designing cars to enter in several competitions. In reading, we are doing a close reading of a text and citing evidence to back up our ideas. In writing, we are beginning a unit on how to persuade. Hmmm...Maybe some of you will be getting letters about puppies? :)
From Mrs. Nowack:
Science: We are wrapping up our unit on human impacts on the environment. Our lessons this week have focused on the life cycle of material objects and the effects of the waste we generate. We also have spent quite a bit of time discussion how to extend the life cycle of the material objects we have. Each student was asked to develop a plan to extend the life cycle of at least one item. Now- what are we going to do about it? Students will be deciding on a community project to complete as a culmination of this unit.
Reading: Students read another short historical fiction selection, Monitor and Merrimack: Clash of the Ironclads and then compared the text to the last historical fiction we read. Students are asked to read at least 20 minutes/day outside of school.
Language: This week’s writing lessons were an introduction to informational writing. Our grammar lessons focused on plural possessives and apostrophes in contractions.
VIP: week of Feb. 15- Dalton
From Mrs. Suhr:
Social Studies - In the next unit, we will take a look at the decision colonist made whether to claim independence from Great Britain. Students will learn the views of loyalists and Patriots.
Language - We have spent a great deal of time in class lately responding to writing prompts, proofreading, and improving their own writing. We are using a google doc to monitor and assist students in their Daily Writing. Next week, we’ll also be learning some literary techniques in writing of using similes, personification, and idioms to express oneself and create clearer pictures in the minds of our readers.
From Mrs. Halweg: In math this week we continued to practice multiplying and dividing fractions through story problems. Your student’s next math test will be on Wednesday and Thursday of next week (Feb. 24 & Feb. 25). I am breaking the test into 2 sections, to help alleviate anyone feeling rushed to get it done. Your student has all of their past homework assignments back from me to start studying from. They will get the study guide in class on Monday.
February 23 DMS turns 10 years old!!! (celebrate with a “Spirit Day”- wear red & blue)
March 21 6th Grade Science Fair (check this out to prep for next year!)
March 22 Reading Games competition
March 29 Old Creamery Theatre
April 7 NICC STEM Fest
Middle School Parents Still Make a Difference
The Parent Institute (Education’s #1 Source for Parent Involvement Information) provides a free resource for parents of middle school aged students. The monthly publication provides articles relevant to issues middle schoolers (and their parents) face. Check it out out here.
Safe School Reporting Form
Just a reminder- you can find a confidential online form to report bullying on the Decorah Middle School web site! Locate it here.
Winter Wear
As it gets warmer, students are tempted to not wear coats- remember- we do go outside for recess- please encourage your child to watch the weather forecast and to dress for the weather.
CODING CONTEST (through NASA)
“Imagine Cup Earth” is open to ages 6-18 with two categories. There are two dates available to enter: March 31 and June 15. Tutorials and information are included when you visit the web site for more information and to register. https://www.imaginecup.com/earth?__af3b91cc=_af3b91cc Cash prizes are available. For more information contact Kathy Hay at [email protected].
Solving the Discipline Puzzle- Steps for Growing Respectful and Responsible Kids
A FREE workshop provided by Keystone AEA and the Parent & Educator Connection: the workshop will help parents find simple methods that help their kids be respectful and responsible while ensuring strong positive relationships with them and keep peace at home.
Join us to learn how to:
- View discipline problems as a chance to help your child learn new, socially appropriate ways to behave.
- Use common socials skills for children and youth to guide your discipline efforts.
- Clarify your personal expectations for your child/youth at home, creating more peaceful routines.
- Strengthen your child/youth and increase desired behaviors through the use of effective praise.
- Look at misbehavior as a teaching opportunity and to peacefully correct your child/youth.
Parents are encouraged to attend the workshop in person. However, teleconference participation will be available using Zoom (telephone or computer). A teleconference site will also be available at the Keystone AEA's Dubuque Office. Parents who select participation by Zoom via computer or telephone will receive further details through email.
Please go to http://tinyurl.com/pecpw16 by February 26th to register for the workshop. Further information is available on the Keystone AEA website under the Parent & Educator Connection tab.
NEWS FLASH!!
From Mr. Peterson: In science, we are entering the final stage of our engineering project. The children will be designing cars to enter in several competitions. In reading, we are doing a close reading of a text and citing evidence to back up our ideas. In writing, we are beginning a unit on how to persuade. Hmmm...Maybe some of you will be getting letters about puppies? :)
From Mrs. Nowack:
Science: We are wrapping up our unit on human impacts on the environment. Our lessons this week have focused on the life cycle of material objects and the effects of the waste we generate. We also have spent quite a bit of time discussion how to extend the life cycle of the material objects we have. Each student was asked to develop a plan to extend the life cycle of at least one item. Now- what are we going to do about it? Students will be deciding on a community project to complete as a culmination of this unit.
Reading: Students read another short historical fiction selection, Monitor and Merrimack: Clash of the Ironclads and then compared the text to the last historical fiction we read. Students are asked to read at least 20 minutes/day outside of school.
Language: This week’s writing lessons were an introduction to informational writing. Our grammar lessons focused on plural possessives and apostrophes in contractions.
VIP: week of Feb. 15- Dalton
From Mrs. Suhr:
Social Studies - In the next unit, we will take a look at the decision colonist made whether to claim independence from Great Britain. Students will learn the views of loyalists and Patriots.
Language - We have spent a great deal of time in class lately responding to writing prompts, proofreading, and improving their own writing. We are using a google doc to monitor and assist students in their Daily Writing. Next week, we’ll also be learning some literary techniques in writing of using similes, personification, and idioms to express oneself and create clearer pictures in the minds of our readers.
From Mrs. Halweg: In math this week we continued to practice multiplying and dividing fractions through story problems. Your student’s next math test will be on Wednesday and Thursday of next week (Feb. 24 & Feb. 25). I am breaking the test into 2 sections, to help alleviate anyone feeling rushed to get it done. Your student has all of their past homework assignments back from me to start studying from. They will get the study guide in class on Monday.